Thailand Will Host The ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) In January

[Jai Dee]

Thailand will host ATF 2008 in January

Thailand will host the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2008 to promote tourism in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The ATF 2008 is the most significant annual tourism promotional event in Asia, hosted on a rotational basis among the member countries of ASEAN. This forum will be held at the IMPACT International Exhibition & Convention Centre, Bangkok, Thailand between 18th and 26th January next year.

The ATF 2008 will bring together the private and public sector executives in one of the fastest growing regional industries. The theme of this year’s event is Synergy of ASEAN towards Dynamic Unity in Diversity. The theme reflects the unique range of tourism products and services offered by the region. The forum will allow each member to showcases the diversity of our tourism attractions while maintaining the unity of ASEAN in the international tourism community.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, the airlines of other ASEAN countries, the travel trade associations and other public and private sector organizations are jointly organizing the ATF 2008.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 October 2007

[Big A]

Oh! How squeaky clean the airport will be!! Touts and mafia swept out with the rubbish (only to resurface when it's all over, of course)

[ThaidleHands]

The theme of this year’s event is Synergy of ASEAN towards Dynamic Unity in Diversity. The theme reflects the unique range of tourism products and services offered by the region. The forum will allow each member to showcases the diversity of our tourism attractions while maintaining the unity of ASEAN in the international tourism community.

I for one would really like to know what those unique products and services actually are. Frankly, you can go scuba diving anywhere there's warm water, the only difference is the species of fish you see underwater and the species on your dinner plate back on the boat. (And the color and accent of the person who serves it to you.) Virtually every country has beaches -- sun, sand and surf are more or less the same everywhere -- and will have its share of ruins and temples of one faith or another.

Diversity is fine, local culture is fine (although the only culture the vast majority of tourists will recognize is between their toes), but a claptrap title like "Synergy of ASEAN towards Dynamic Unity in Diversity" suggests the whole organization is just a make-work welfare programme for aparatchiks who can't find meaningful work in private industry.

Instead a really good campaign would start and end about here: "Come to South-East Asia! It doesn't cost much, it doesn't rain much and we got rid of the dangerous boats, unsafe airlines, touts, scammers, corrupt cops and belligerent taxi drivers." Obviously to be able to back up that claim there would have to be meaningful reform. So probably a better strategy to stick with the manufactured buzzwords and glossy brochures and rely on PT Barnum's famous maxim; by the time the world wises up, they're won't be a clean beach left anyhow.

[brahmburgers]

Thai tourism heavies have been pushing for investment in more golf courses and high-end resorts - to the detriment of environmentally friendly venues that would appeal to all types of travelers, not just those in suits and ties with bulging wallets. Just here in my area of Chiang Rai, there are golf courses with few players and resorts with low occupancy, yet at the same time, there are many untapped possiblities such as rock climbing, water sports (canoeing, kayaking, parasailing), bicycling, spelunking, ropes course, and more.

On an average day, there are dozens of tourist-relegated, late-model minivans parked on the grass in a local park with no customers - their drivers hanging out, killing time. One would think tourism authorities could get some creative juices flowing to see what sorts of untapped potential venues might be out there. On 2nd thought, innovations usually come from the grass roots, rather than from the top down - which relates back to the topic heading in this thread - mentioning hundreds of tourism experts converging for a Bangkok meeting - their discussions will mainly focus upon ......how to cater to high-end tourists exclusively.

[astral]

I wonder how may Immigration officers will be on duty?

An acquaintance who arrived from Manilla at 1am on Monday 29th had

to wait 90 minutes in the queue as there were only 4 officers on duty.

What a disgrace................